Kanpur was in flames, humanity was
crying, PAC jawans and goondas were busy in loot and arson. In such a
trying time there were many angels of humanity who did their best to
uphold human values even at the cost of their lives.These unknown
champions of humanity have once again proved that hate could not overcome
love and peace. During the riot that almost ripped apart the communal
fabric of the city, such incidents soothed hearts filled with agony and
shattered hopes and restored one's confidence in humanity and our ‘Indianness.’

‘I owe my life to Parvez. He was the only one who came between me and
death,’ says Ramesh Dubey, a trader of Munnilal Street whose shop was
burnt to ashes in communal frenzy. While goondas were baying for Dubey's
blood, Parvez confronted them head on and saved Ramesh and his son and
took them to his house.

Rajol’s case is much more peculiar. He was badly beaten up by rioters
and was dragged into a narrow lane. All of a sudden the hearts of two
rioters changed and the moment he was to be stabbed to death two rioters
brought out their country-made pistols and threatened their comrades to
spare Rajol or they will shoot them. In his own words ‘escaping death
from Tikaniapurwa, I reached the interior of Dada Miyan Ka Hata. All of a
sudden the rioters numbering about eleven dragged me into a by-lane. They
were carrying kattas (country-made pistols) and knives. One of them hit me
on the head and as he was about to plunge his knife into my chest, two
others showed up and asked them to leave me. But they were adamant. All of
a sudden both the youths brought out their pistols and fired at them.
Seeing this the assailants fled. Later both of them dropped me at a safer
place.’

Mr RS Chaurasia resides in the Muslim-dominated Makhania Bazar locality
where people not only protected him and his family but even saved his
place of worship. ‘With the love and affection we get here we may not
even think of leaving this place ,’ he said with a voice full of
emotions.

On Meston Road most shops belong to Hindus and the residents are mostly
Muslims. These Muslims always rise to the occassion and save the shops of
their Hindu brothers.. ‘You will wonder but the people guarded the area
for three consecutive days despite witnessing pitched battle of the worst
kind here.’
Hindus also did not lag behind in reciprocating the noble gesture.
Residents of Kahu Kothi and Nayaganj locality saved a mosque from being
burnt and protected the few shops belonging to Muslims in the locality.
One Panditji confronted the rioters and saved the mosque and its mutawalli
Saeed Anwar and sent him to Phoolbagh area for his safety.

In Nawab Saheb Ka Hata area people belonging to both the communities
chased away the rioters, a tradition they started in 1992 after the Babri
Masjid demolition. There are only eight Hindu families here but they are
as safe as Muslims. ‘No one wants a riot except a few anti-social
elements, so why should we strain our relations. My family never thought
of changing residence,’ said a Hindu resident.

‘A temple in the middle of the Muslim locality of Bakonganj is safe and
is standing there as the symbol of our secular ethos, communal harmony and
amity. While more than one dozen mosques were put to flame, Muslim youths
came out to protect this temple and kept a round-the-clock vigil so that
anti-social elements may not harm it. The temple is a mute spectator of
the tragedy that engulfed the city particularly this locality. Residents,
however, did not lose patience and protected the temple for full five
days, thus strengthening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood among
both the communities. This one hundred-year-old temple is situated in the
Mastan market area which was reduced to ashes by the rioters, say PAC
jawans. q